My Winning Ways
by Jenners • 09/23/2009 • Book Talk • 21 Comments
Now that BBAW is behind us and I have one book review under my belt, I thought I would take a moment to introduce myself to all my new visitors who found me via BBAW. In addition, I’ve been quite the lucky blogger lately and have some winnings I would like to acknowledge. But first, let’s talk about me!
What Kind of Reader Am I?
In two words, slow and all-over-the-place. I’m not actually a slow reader, but I don’t have a lot of time to read so I’m not one of those amazing superhero bloggers that read 5 books a week or 200+ books in a year. This is mostly due to the fact that I spend about 60% of my free time with my son (I’m a stay-at-home mom), 20% of my time doing housework (my penance for not having to work outside the home), 10% of my time blogging, 5% of my time with my husband, and 5% of my time reading. Hopefully, in time, these numbers will shift but for now, that is how it breaks down.
As for all-over-the-place, I like all different types of books. You won’t find me reading the same genre over and over again. I like to bounce around between fiction and non-fiction, and if the premise of a book intrigues me, I’ll try it out. I’m not afraid to try new authors or genres, but I tend to have a weakness for books that make me laugh. I’ll pretty much see a book through to the bitter end unless I find it unreadable. I read to be entertained or to learn something (without taxing my brain too much). Although I do accept review copies for books (I mean, how could I not?), I don’t limit myself to newly released books. I really like to mix things up.
What Kind of Blogger Am I?
In three words, steady, slow and loyal. I don’t post every day. In fact, I average about three posts a week on this blog.
If you have a blog and leave me a comment, I will make every attempt to visit your blog and repay the visit (except for giveaway comments). Sometimes it may take me up to a week to visit, but I will get there eventually. I tend to acknowledge comments via e-mail instead of in posts so I love it when you have an e-mail address attached to your blogger profile.
I tend to be picky about adding blogs to my blogroll as I have limited time and feel overwhelmed with what is in my blog reader already. However, if I do read your blog regularly, I tend to swing by once or possibly twice a week and catch up on the posts I haven’t read yet. So if you don’t see me for awhile, you can probably expect I’ll be by and leave you 5 comments in one hour! I do tend to be a loyal blog buddy, but (again) I’m picky about adding to my blogroll.
Lucky Lucky Me
I’ve been on a winning streak lately with blog giveaways — having won three in the post month or so.
The first win was a piece of original artwork from CJ over at ProArtz. CJ had sponsored a really neat scavenger hunt, and I was lucky enough to take first place. My prize was first choice of some of CJ’s original artwork. Want to see my choice?
If you want to check out more of CJ’s artwork — including prints, cards, postcards, t-shirts, hats, mugs, mousepads, sneakers, ties, keychains, postage stamps and bags — visit her product line at http://www.zazzle.com/Pro_Artz* (and, yes, the asterisk is part of the URL!). She has some really cool stuff over there so check it out!
My second win was the Summer Vacation Reading Challenge hosted by Molly at My Cozy Book Nook. The prize was a $20 Amazon gift certificate. I used it to treat myself to some of the books on my birthday wish list (after consulting with Mr. Jenners to see if he had already purchased them. As I suspected, he had not.) I got two books for my Kindle — The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment
Okay … I have to ask … do you set aside a certain amount of time each day that you have to do housework? I am TERRIBLE at housework and have let so many things go for so long (it took me 3 Swiffer cloths to get rid of all of the cobwebs a couple weeks ago!).
I read for about 20% of the day and do housework for about 5%.
fish art – fab!
resolution to end cruelty to books – yay!
blogging six x per week – boo!
well not really, but that makes me feel guilty as we have some similarities (age, SAHM with toddler, a house that needs cleaning, a blog and husband that need attention) yet I blog once or twice a week and it's easier for me to say boo to you than, you know, increase my own output or something. Can I use my Gr.7 and Gr. 3 kids as an excuse?
You had me at chocolate and warm bread and butter.
Found your blog through Meg and looking forward to your posts.
It is great to learn more about you! I found you during BBAW and I have to say, you do some of the BEST reviews out there and it is greatly appreciated! My to-read list is already huge, but I have found a few books that you reviewed that I want to check out!
My blog is over at http://caitieflum.wordpress.com/ and is called PubWrites. It is a mixture of reviews and publishing industry news/editorials.
I look forward to reading more of your posts!
Thanks for that post, it's nice to be given the opportunity to get to know you a little better.
Well done on all your wins.
"steady, slow and loyal"…I love it. Maybe because I see myself that way as well.
Not that I won a darn thing…lol
You really are on a winning streak! Wow! I love that print — very cool.
And remember that blogging and reading and reviewing are for fun not stress — 50 books or 400 books in a year doesn't matter.
Thanks for the intro! I am one of your new followers, and like you I am loyal. Once I'm on here, you won't be able to shake me loose. (Disclaimer: I am running the Book Fair this week, so I will be mostly absent.) I stay at home as well, and must clean house, pool and do yardwork as my pennance. But I always have an audio book going when I do!
I won some great books last week. My problem is I forgot what I signed up for! I am terribly excited about winning FU Penguin from Serena. That is going to be a great bathroom book don't ya think?
Congratulations on all your wins!
Thank you for letting us know a bit more about you. It sounds as though you have the perfect balance in your life. Family is always the most important thing. I am a stay at home mum too, but my boys have a bit of time at nursery, so I have that extra bit of time for reading/blogging. Keep up the good work – I always think quality is better than quantity!
Great win! I am pretty jealous of that package not going to lie.
Ha yes I highlight, write in margins, use post its, just about every thing you can think of. You can tell if I really liked a book because there are about 1000 marks haha. I love being able to quickly look back over my favorite parts when a book is done and relive my favorite passages again. So helpful.
Congratulations on your prizes! How very cool! Love the fish pic.
And I dog ear too. (Sometimes I even highlight!) YEEEE! Can't help it. Its comforting.
I want to say to all your visitors too that this is a blog well worth keeping in your Google Reader even though it's probably bulging and sagging (like most people's after BBAW) or like me since I got older…
Wait till you read the "My Thoughts" section of this blog's reviews – they're always worthwhile. And the choice of books is delightfully eclectic. So STAY! (Oh wait, I was just talking to the dog for a moment there…)
And back to you, Jenners, I'd like to say that I love your Book Catagories – especially "Happy Childhoods." I FULLY expected it to be empty when I clicked on it! I mean, who writes about HAPPY childhoods?!!! Well, apparently 3 people, anyway…
This was a most entertaining post, and I especially appreciated how you put your two cents in regarding Audrey Niffenegger.
Congratulations on winning Jenn's prize! Hope it encourages you to lose your dog ears! :–)
Thanks for telling the new ones more about yourself. I've been here before but I still enjoyed learning more about you.
You did have a good winning streak. It's always fun to win things.
Congratulations on the winnings. I was able to win a few books I really wanted to read last week and will be anxiously checking my mailbox until they arrive
Oh, I thought I should come back and say I love your emails. I always respond to comments on the posts themselves rather than by email, but either way, I love getting responses from bloggers. It makes me feel like I'm having a conversation!
awesome prizes, congratulations! I need to get back to making bookmarks too. (then I'll send you one, if you want!
)
It's always fun to read your blog(s). I feel like I get boring pretty quickly. lol oh well.
Right now I'm reading another book I won in another giveaway recently. I have been reading at a fairly good pace lately, but in a slump with book reviews. How to get out of that slump?!
Congratulations on your wins! It's taking me longer and longer lately to get to everyone's posts in my reader, so for the moment I've just been trying to visit those who comment on my site too.
I love the sticky note set — and I am glad that you were able to find some great Kindle books (with 2 cents left over!)
I love your goal for weekly posts: 1 review – 1 "bookish" thought – and 1 meme. I think I will experiment with a similar weekly format.
You scored! Congratulations!
Congratulations on your great wins!
I don't think I won anything during BBAW, but that's okay because I somehow managed to win like 10 contests this summer. That's really weird for me because I'm normally the unluckiest person on earth, not counting my mom and my cousin Byron, who are every bit as unlucky as me. We've decided it must have something to do with genetics.
Anyway, congrats!